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 Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 9:05 pm
Serr wasn't too proud to admit that he had been relieved when Eziya hadn't seemed all that eager to see the extremists off. Alkidike had always left him uneasy, and the alternative was much more appealing. He had never set foot in Matori before, and even though it was rather similar to Oba this close to the border, he had certainly never encountered one of those in the Fire earthlings' lands. They called it a Bushi and they were letting people ride it for coin. The thief would have normally been driven to toe-bouncing excitement over that, but the weight of his thoughts kept him grounded today. He wasn't unhappy, simply confused, and it left him less prone to fidgeting. It was probably a good thing, actually. OpticPeach i am the worst but i shall make it up somehow
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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 12:17 pm
Grabbing Serr's hand, she tugged him closer to the strange creature. She'd read about them before, but to see one up close was a whole different thing. The fact that they could actually ride it made it even better. Taking a look back at Serr for a moment, she nodded before handing coin over to the owner of the Bushi. Serr hadn't voiced anything about if he wanted to ride or not, but it seemed like his sort of thing. "We'd like to ride it please," Eziya stated, trying her best to not get too excited in case she was rejected. They were outsiders after all, and the Matori didn't seem to like anyone else from what she'd seen.
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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 7:01 pm
His mind might have been preoccupied, but that didn't mean he found her enthusiasm any less amusing. An airy laugh burst from Serr, and he nodded at the Matori. "Yes, please."The man returned the nod, his smile the polite one a merchant or entertainer would wear. If he minded a pair of foreign young people on his mount, it didn't show. "Kalaki knows her way around the track. Just let her go her own way and she'll take care of you. It's a good length. Best ride for this price on the border." He was probably telling the truth, but none of that little speech answered Serr's first question. How were they meant to get up there? "Kala, sit." Ah, yes. Serr nodded as the Bushi crouched low. The saddle was still a challenge to get to, but the kneeling would help. He hooked his fingers together, intending to provide a foothold if Eziya wanted. "Need a boost?"
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 12:36 pm
Nodding, Eziya stepped into Serr's intertwined hands and allowed him to boost her up onto the Bushi. Once settled into her spot, she held her hand out for Serr to help him get up himself. It was hard for her to control her excitement as she bounced around in the saddle. She was experiencing new things, and honestly after dealing with the war still fresh on their minds they needed a break. While she had healed as many as she could, she still felt like it wasn't enough. Serr had still gotten hurt as well a countless others. Maybe if she had been on the front lines healing instead of in her tent things wouldn't have been so bad. Turning to glance at the man behind her, she tried to nonchalantly check his recent wounds as he sat there. They were pretty much healed because of how fast she had gotten to them, but the fact that he had been hurt again still worried her. For now she just needed to ignore it and enjoy the ride though. There was no use fretting over it when they were supposed to be having fun. Her mind had been so scattered lately that she needed to relax and enjoy it all.
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Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2015 11:23 pm
Serr took Eziya's hand again and pulled himself up behind her, nearly falling off when the animal rose and began to trundle away. He made a grab for the Shifter, securing his arms about her waist with a short, surprised laugh. "Sorry," he said, but in spite of his apology he didn't let go. The gesture seemed almost invasive after talking with Thess, but he pushed away his inclination to label it that way. He had held her hand, touched her shoulder, kissed her cheek. It didn't have to mean more than it ever had. When they were out of range of the Matori's hearing, Serr said, "Thank you for... this. I thought you might have wanted to be serious after everything that's happened, but I was hoping we'd been serious enough."
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Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2015 12:15 am
"After everything that's happened we need to relax some. There's no need to be serious all the time," she smiled at him, leaning back against his chest a little as she rested her hands against his. She was really quite pleased with the fact that they had managed to find something enjoyable to do after everything that had happened. A lot of people were still on edge after everything, especially with all the uneasy alliances that had happened. Really some quiet time with Serr was just what she needed at this moment. Lacing her fingers with his, she leaned back more comfortably to settle in for the ride. She wasn't sure how long it would really take, but she wasn't too concerned as long as they were having fun.
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Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2015 8:37 pm
"Mmhmm." He was glad she agreed there really wasn't any need to dwell on the unpleasant recent past, even if he was still sore because of it. Not that he wanted to remind her of his injuries either, considering they were his own fault. He remained rather astonished that she never asked him to stay behind, only to be careful, as if that could truly help him if enough people meant him harm. It was something he thought they should discuss when he was at his most contemplative and self aware. Something he shouldn't have been pondering right now. Serr sighed, his breath fluttering her hair. "So. If you're not being serious, what are you thinking about?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2015 8:59 pm
"You. I-I mean, our plans and such. What we plan on doing. Not that thinking about you is bad or anything, just....yeah. I'm going to stop talking now," she sighed, her cheeks flushing at her inability to speak for once. She wasn't thinking about serious things like the war or her healing, but she did have her mind on him. After all that had happened he still stuck around with her, even though they didn't exactly have much in common. Really they were completely opposite of each other. She'd never bothered to worry about it, but now she was concerned. "I know I said nothing serious, but I do want to ask you something," she explained, trying to turn a bit more sideways on the Bushi so she could look at him. "Why do you stick around with me when you could be off causing havoc and doing your own thing? Not that I want you to leave, just curious it all."
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Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 1:08 pm
He didn't really notice that she was flustered, reading her circular speech as just 'another thing Eziya did.' He had even moved past her discomfort entirely by the time she had spoken again, which was why he was caught so off guard by her return to the serious. Serr tensed slightly in response to her question. Even though she had explicitly stated that she didn't want him to go, he still felt unsettled. Why ask him why he stayed at all if she wasn't encouraging him to realize he wanted to leave? It took him a long, silent minute to come up with an answer, and even then it wasn't particularly coherent. "My ring." Serr raised his hand and looked at it there on his pinky. "It's good for reminding me of the fun we have. But seeing you in person, smiling, doing what you love to do... it's nicer than reminiscing alone and it's nicer than havoc. I like the feeling." He swallowed, aware that he had probably already said something that would make her feel boxed in, obligated to stay just because he enjoyed being near her. "If you need to be by yourself though, we can separate for as long as you'd like." They'd already traveled alone for several short stretches here and there when there was something one of them needed to do. It wouldn't be that bad to stay apart for a bit longer, he supposed, as long as he knew they would reunite.
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Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 4:17 pm
"No, no. That's not it. I like being around you. I really really like it. I just....well I don't want you to feel like you have to hang around me," she sighed, shaking her head. This was no time for seriousness and strange questions. They'd just finished dealing with a war. They didn't need anything else to upset the light mood. She just needed to stop thinking about his reasons. He liked being around her. That's all that mattered. It didn't have to mean anything else. They were close and continued to enjoy each other's company. That was good enough for her. "I'm glad you've kept the ring all this time. It really means a lot to me. I promise no matter what trouble we find ourselves in I'll be around to make sure you're okay," Eziya nodded, leaning back against him once more.
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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 11:55 am
Although it was a great relief to hear her say so plainly that he hadn't clung too closely and that she continued to enjoy his company, something still wasn't right. Eziya was uneasy, and he wished with all his being that he could have taken that away with what he had just said rather than compounding the problem. Serr had never been good with words in the first place, but these words in particular were even more difficult to string together properly. He tried to settle in, to get back to the level of comfortable discomfort that he had felt when they had first climbed aboard their trundling mount, but he couldn't find those feelings again, not with memories of Thess whispering in his ear. See how you feel in a month. Well, it certainly hadn't yet been a month, but Serr knew his feelings wouldn't change any time soon. This was not disrespectful nor was it weak. Being near her made him happy when it wasn't making him nervous, and if she felt the same, then... "I... I'd never get rid of your ring," he said softly, spinning it once with his thumb. "And I meant... I don't want to go anywhere. Should I... Would you mind if I courted you properly?" The question came out in a rush, his cheeks flushing instead of losing color as they had when he'd discussed this with Thess. "Would it make you happy? Because I'm so..." He had been about to say afraid, and he was, but even in the middle of his stupid confession, his pride kept him from admitting that. "It's something I would like, but only if you like it too. If you don't, then forget I said anything." He doubted going back to the way things were after... whatever this was would be that easy, but it was worth a shot. OpticPeach one awkwardbomb delivery, coming right up
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 8:17 pm
It took Eziya a moment to register what he had said, and even longer for her to come up with a response for it. He had said he wanted to...court her? He looked flushed, and she couldn't help but reach out and touch his cheek as she continued to stare. Words were trying to form in her brain, but she simply couldn't grasp what he was trying to say. Did he plan on taking her to court? Did he mean a courtly dance, or going to court because she was in trouble...? No Serr wouldn't do that. Besides, if anyone was in trouble it was probably him. Just what did he mean by it then?? Court, court, court. She needed to look it up, but also it was probably wise to say something to him and stop staring. That was the first step. Come up with a response of some sort. What to say though? She hadn't a clue. "I uh....well what exactly do you...mean by court? Is this some sort of formal request? I may have a book explaining it a bit more...." she muttered to herself, reaching to grab her backpack. Surely he didn't mean the other type of courting. That involved romance and all sorts of things. It really wasn't Serr's cup of tea. Besides, why court her of all people? She blushed at the thought, but quickly shook it off. That was just silly. He'd never stated any interest in her, so why suddenly do so now? They were just friends...right? He'd never specified otherwise. Though she'd met his family that hardly meant anything. A friend could meet his family just as well as any lover could. Meeting family was not a lover specific thing. Even trying to think of them as something more made her fluttery. It had to be something else though. It was bound to be. If she could just find that book and steady her hands for a moment it would all be cleared up.
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 10:25 pm
He thought he might take hold of her wrist to still her when she reached up to touch his face, but her hand was gone again before he could convince himself to thaw. All of his courage wasted because he hadn't been clear. Or maybe he had and feigning confusion was just her polite way of turning him down. But there. A blush, however brief. And she was all fumbly. His nerves didn't feel so lonely when they had hers to keep them company. Serr decided to try again. "They kept telling me that you were different. That I was different around you. And I don't feel this way about anyone else, so it must be true. I doubt a book is going to help." He glanced at her bag, suddenly finding her rush to research the situation the funniest thing in the world. He grinned, pushing it down as soon as it appeared, but he was only halfway successful. "I am making a formal request to leave flowers on your pillow and wake you up to watch the stars and be able to nod when people ask if we're together when I know they mean more than standing beside each other." He swallowed. Maybe that had been going a little too far. When he spoke again he was subdued, normal. "Would it make you happy?" he repeated.
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Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2015 11:00 pm
Oh. That was what he meant by all of that. She stopped her digging in her bag and pulled her hands out, choosing to have them settle in her lap instead. She really wasn't expecting to get a romantic confession on top of a Bushi today, yet here they both were. So many emotions were overwhelming her at the moment she didn't really know what to do. There was the obvious which was to answer him, but what was she supposed to say after all that? She felt any response she did have would be lame in comparison to what he had said already. But maybe it didn't matter as long as she said something. "So you'll be sticking around with me and you'll do the most adorable things ever?" she laughed at that, a giddy sound that may have sounded more nervous than anything else. "But really, of course it would make me happy, Serr. I get to keep supporting you and have you around without fear of you running off to go adventure with other people.""As long as you're happy, I'm happy. I mean, I know I can be hard to travel with sometimes....and I talk to much, but if you like me that way I guess you already know this and don't mind it," Eziya floundered about, blushing as she waved her hand dismissively at what she'd said. She was rambling like usual.
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Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2016 9:36 pm
The more she rambled, the bigger Serr's smile grew, his gleeful expression nearly painful in its intensity. He rarely had a reason to bear his teeth for so long or with so much fervor. It was only the slow, giddy realization that he was acting monumentally silly that pulled him back to normalcy, that and the fact that he'd noticed the bushi was circling around to where it had begun. Its Matori owner registered their approach with a faraway nod, but the creature kept to the same speed, not at all anxious to be cooped up again. It would arrive eventually. He was so very grateful that she wasn't launching herself off of their mount and running away that he could only laugh at her declaration. Adorable. While he thought the descriptor was debatable on his end, it fit Eziya perfectly. Serr lifted his hands and rested them tentatively on her shoulders, thankful that the movement of the creature beneath them hid their shaking. "All the things you do... they're why I like you. And I'm glad you like me too." Loved. He loved her, but he wasn't ready to say that yet. He swallowed. Not at all. "Don't be nervous." Serr chuckled, tightening his grip in a makeshift hug before letting go completely. OpticPeach pretend that i didn't let this go for eleven months ;;
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